


letters in good faith

by gothzabini (girl412)



Series: guinea pigs & boys in love [3]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Advice, Depression, Epistolary, Gen, Pre-Slash, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, lack of guinea pigs in this one im sorry, mentions of others - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-12
Updated: 2018-07-12
Packaged: 2019-06-09 09:33:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15264558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/girl412/pseuds/gothzabini
Summary: Scorpius asks his father for help and advice in a letter.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> there is more I wanted to add to this piece that I was unable to, but rest assured that I'll expand it when I can <3 thanks for waiting for this and sorry for the delay!

_Dad,_

_Someone I care about a lot is fighting depression and I’d like your advice on how to deal with this. I’m doing my best, but I don’t know if it’s enough. I know that depression often gets severe enough to manifest in self harm and suicidal ideation but I don’t think they’re at that stage yet. It still worries me though. It feels like they get barely any happiness out of being alive. They’re happy sometimes but it’s always fleeting and it makes me sad because they deserve to be happy, always. They seem worlds away sometimes and it scares me. I don’t want to lose them._

_I know this is unexpected but I really need someone to help me figure out what to do, and I know that you’ve had friends who’ve been in similar mental situations before. How do you support someone when you care about them so much that the fear of losing them almost paralyses you? It’s too much to deal with sometimes._

_Love,_

_Scorpius_

_PS. I’ll write again soon, hopefully about happier things. Tell Nana that I said hi._


	2. Chapter 2

_Dear Scorpius,_

_I understand your plight and how overwhelmed you might feel. It’s difficult, but you needn’t worry. From the sound of it, you are doing enough. Let your friend know that you’re there for them in whatever way you can. Ask them how you can best support them and let them know that you will support them unconditionally. Let them know that you would never look at them as weak or somehow “less than” how you looked at them before. I am sure you have already done all these things and more, but they are the first things that come to my mind._

_Grief is a deeply personal thing and each person’s interactions with it are vastly different. What is healthy for some may be unhealthy for others. They might want to talk to you about it. They might not. It’s fine. Remember to give them space, to let them know you care but understand that if they do not tell you things it might not be because they don’t trust you._

_I feel like your godmother might have more to say on this topic than me, were you to write her. Pansy spent most of our sixth year worrying about me and my mental health – rightfully so. She knows what it is like on your end, and she might understand you better than I, as most of the instances of me supporting my friends in the way you are referring to occurred after the war, and in the context of it. Pansy’s situation regarding me was similar to yours in most ways, given that it is happening while you are still a student, and there’s only so much you can do at your age, in your situation._

_Remember to take care of yourself as well. Do not get so absorbed in caring for your friend that you neglect your own health. If you need to put yourself first, you must do so. If you fall sick as well, or compromise your mental health, it will be that much harder for you to help someone else._

_A very important thing to remember is that you must go against them if their feelings manifest as self-destructive urges. If they tell you that they are planning some severe form of self-harm, for instance, it is not your responsibility to stop them yourself. It is your responsibility to get them help. Do not enable them to self-destruct because you are afraid to lose your friendship. They will thank you one day – and even if they do not, remember – their full recovery should be more important to you than your relationship with them._

_This is all I can think of, and I hope this helps. If you have more specific questions I would be happy to help, as would Pansy. As you must be aware, Teddy is studying psychology at that Muggle University that you considered reputed (the name escapes my memory.) If you wish for a more academic and research-based perspective, they might be the kid for you._

_Take care. I’m glad you wrote me._

_Love, Dad._

_PS. Your grandmother says hi as well, but demands a letter of her own, full of the latest gossip. She’s growing bored without the presence of you reckless youth to entertain her.  
PPS. Give Albus our regards. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, feel free to hmu @ gothzabini on tumblr!!  
> it's not a valid excuse i KNOW but i want y'all to understand that uni related work is currently Killing Me, RIP :'(


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